Nearly two thirds (61.5 percent) of Southeast Asia’s population are on social media making up 10.2 percent of the global share of social media identities, Meltwater and We Are Social said Monday.
The global media, social and consumer intelligence platform and the socially-led creative agency said in their their latest annual report on social media and digital trends worldwide “Digital 2025” the region loves social media with all nations using more platforms than the global average of 6.83.
The average number of platforms used: 8.36 in the Philippines, 8.12 in Malaysia, 7.93 in Indonesia, 7.24 in Singapore 7.24, and 7.11 in both Vietnam and Thailand.
Meanwhile, more than a third of the region uses social media as a source of news.
According to the report, the average time spent on social media in the Philippines is 3 hours and 32 minutes – more than an hour above the global average.
Social media also makes up nearly half (42.6 percent) of Indonesia’s share of online time.
Two-thirds of users in Indonesia also actively seek out brands on social media, while 82.1 percent use social media for brand research.
Indonesians spend close to two whole days per month on TikTok, clocking 44 hours and 54 minutes spent in the app.
Malaysia, on the other hand, is not far behind with 42 hours and 44 minutes per month on TikTok.
The report also showed Filipinos love influencers and vlog content.
44.9 percent follow influencers on social m and nearly half (48.3 percent) state they watch vlogs or influencer videos each week.
Meanwhile, Singapore is one of Reddit’s top markets globally with users 3 hours and 56 minutes on the platform each month and accessing it an average of 116.9 times.
According to the report, the Philippines and Indonesia are the top two gaming markets.
Thailand ranks third globally for time spent playing video games at 1 hour and 32 minutes daily – nearly half an hour more than the global average.
Singapore
The report showed Singaporeans spend an average of 6 hours and 33 minutes a day on the internet – on par with the global average of 6 hours and 38 minutes.
Overall, 71.4 percent of Singaporean adults are concerned about what is real and fake on the internet.
Further, 36 percent of internet users in Singapore are worried about how companies use their personal data online, and 39 percent of these internet users decline cookies on
websites at least some of the time, as compared to the global average of 34.5 percent.
It is noted that Singapore has one of the highest overall levels of social media use globally at 88.2 percent, ranking #4 globally.
Singaporean users aged 16+ spend 2 hour 2 minutes on social media daily, while Singaporean internet users actively use about 7.24 platforms each month.
According to the report, Reddit and Telegram are sleeping giants in Singapore – with relatively high usage compared to global users.
Active Reddit users in Singapore (on Android phones) open the Reddit App 116.9 times each month, the highest worldwide.
Meanwhile, active Telegram users in Singapore (on Android phones) open the Telegram App 237 times a month. Singapore is ranked #3 globally, behind Russia and Finland.
Surprisingly, active TikTok users in Singapore (on Android phones) spend an average of 34 hours 29 minutes per month on the app, which is slightly below the worldwide average of 34 hours 56 minutes.
Malaysia
The report showed Malaysians spend an average of 8 hours and 13 minutes a day on the internet – ahead of the global average of 6 hours and 38 minutes.
On social media usage, Malaysian internet users aged 16+ spend 2 hours 46 minutes on social media each day.
Malaysian internet users actively use about 8.12 platforms each month.
Active TikTok users in Malaysia (on Android phones) spend an average of 42 hours 44 minutes per month on the app, as compared to the global average of 34 hours 56 minutes.
44.9 percent of social media users in Malaysia say that reading news stories is a main reason for using social media.
According to the report, Malaysians are keen on video content – as long as its not linear TV.
Malaysian internet users spend 2 hours 45 minutes daily watching any kind of TV content and this is comparable to the daily time spent on social media.
However, 44.7 percent of the time spent is watching streaming TV services, not linear TV.
Almost all (95.5 percent) of Malaysian internet users watch any kind of online video each week – mostly for educational or entertainment purposes.
About three in five (60.8 percent) watch online music videos each week, and about half (50.3 percent) watch how-to videos, tutorial videos or educational videos each week.
Only 27.9 percent of Malaysian internet users say they watch vlogs or influencer videos each week.
Malaysians tend to research social networks before making an online purchase, said the report.
62.9 percent of Malaysian internet users buy something online each week and 59.3 percent of these online purchases were done on mobile.
61.8 percent of Malaysian internet users research brands, products and services online before making a purchase and 53.5 percent of them use social networks to research potential purchases.
Comparatively, more than half (51 percent) of global internet users use search engines as the main source of information when researching brands, with social networks coming in second (46.1 percent).
The Philippines
The report showed Filipinos spend an average of 8 hours and 52 minutes a day on the internet – maintaining its rank as being significantly ahead of the global average of 6 hours and 38 minutes.
Most this time on the internet is spent on their mobile phones at 5 hours 21 minutes, which is also significantly ahead of the global average of 3 hours 46 minutes.
Meanwhile, Filipinos top the use of digital communication methods, with 98.9 percent of Filipino internet users use chat and messenger services each month, higher than the global average of 94.5 percent.
94.2 percent of Filipino internet users use email services each month, higher than the global average of 75 percent, while 49.5 percent of Filipino internet users use mobile video calling services each month, higher than the global average of 35.5 percent.
91.3 percent of Filipino internet users use a banking, investment or insurance website or app each month.
It is noted that the Philippines is the highest globally and far exceeds Brazil which comes in #2 (74.8 percent), and the global average of 37.8 percent.
Digital payments average revenue per user (ARPU) as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in the country is 28.2 percent.
Comparatively, only 21.7 percent of Filipino internet users use mobile payment services (e.g. Apple Pay, Samsung Pay) each month.
Credit card adoption is sluggish where only 8.1 percent of Filipino adults own a credit card.
According to the report, Filipinos rank #1 for a love for all things video.
97.6 percent of Filipino internet users aged 16+ watch online video content each week, ahead of the global benchmark of 92 percent.
They are heavily drawn to online videos and are ranked #2 in using them as a source of learning (58.1 percent), and #1 in watching vlogs (48.3 percent) and online music videos (72.3 percent), far exceeding any of their global peers.
Filipinos also rank #1 in the world for playing video games, with 96.6 percent of internet users aged 16+ playing video games on any device. The global average stands at 83.6 percent.
On social media usage, Filipino internet users aged 16+ spend 3 hours 32 minutes on social media each day, ranked #4 globally.
Filipino internet users actively use about 8.36 platforms each month. This makes them the #2 country in the world that uses the most number of social media platforms.
Following influencers on social media is huge in the Philippines, with 44.9 percent of intern users aged 16+ following influencers or other experts on social media. This makes the Philippines the #1 in the world.
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